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Entities of the Nevernever
Encountering the Supernatural Before we get into the specific creatures, we need to talk general principles and broad categories. Here are a few thoughts. Supernatural Heavyweights There are a number of entities that can be considered part of the “supernatural heavyweight class.” In other words, beings of such awesome power and skill that they make even the mightiest mortal look like an ant. Some speculation and extrapolation can lead to a ranking in extremely rough order, from generally most powerful on down (note that some entities may change their position in the rankings depending upon various circumstances): · The Almighty (AKA the Creator, Michael’s Boss) · The Faerie Mothers, the Archangels · The Fallen, Old Gods, Old Ones · The Faerie Queens, the Erlking, dragons, the Archive · Outsiders, regular Angels, the Faerie Ladies · Ancient demons, Knights of the Faerie Courts, Denarians, Knights of the Cross Note that the Knights of the Cross, when they are on the clock and operating under their specific mission, may be considered heavyweights. Some knights of the Faerie Courts, depending on how much experience and mojo they bring to the job, qualify here as well, though historically they can be all over the map and thus not always in this tier—unless one of the Queens throws her weight in behind them. Other likely candidates for inclusion at the lower end of this class (or at least the high end of the “middleweight” class) include Kemmler, Vlad Drakul, loup-garoux, and two or more of the Senior Council acting in unison. There are three main ways of dealing with heavyweights if they run across your path, or you run across theirs: · Curse your luck/fate. · Run away. · Say “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am.” The correct term for “wanting to meet with a supernatural heavyweight in combat” is “suicidal.” If you do go up against one of them and they merely kill you, you—or your ghost or at least your survivors—should count yourself damned lucky. Entities of the Nevernever Nearly any inhabitant of the Nevernever—ghosts, demons, spirits of air, fae, etc.—can be called a spirit. Indeed, saying “spirit” is a lot like saying “mammal”—it’s descriptive, but extremely general. Consider fetches, for example: they’re fae and shapeshifters and phobophages. And the Hunger spirits connected to White Court vampires and the Rage spirits connected to loup-garoux are correctly termed “demons” as well as “spirits” (just as one could point to a puppy and identify it as both a “dog” and a “poodle”). The categories appear hazy to mortal minds. Humans don’t really have the right vocabulary— or perspective—to understand how they’re all divided up. (However, these limitations haven’t stopped enterprising wizards from attempting to create classifications. While all are flawed, many can be useful.) For your usual purposes, however, here’s a quick and dirty recognition guide: ' ' Demons Mean and hostile, often violent, can change and grow, have no sense of mortal morals, may feed on energy (pain, bloodshed, corruption, lust, that sort of thing), are interested in mortal souls, cannot crossover to the mortal world unless summoned by a mortal, tend to use construct bodies, associated with the “supernatural nations” of Downbelow or the World Below.' ' Fae Embodied beings, can crossover to the mortal world as they wish, closest to mortals in temperament and location, very interested in mortals, no sense of mortal morals, can feed on energy (magic or soul), often connected to the natural world, associated with the supernatural nation of Faerie (and sometimes a particular Court).' ' Ghosts The metaphysical footprint left by a strong or powerful personality, cannot change or grow, may retain a sense of mortal morals, can feed on energy, tend to hang out between the mortal world and Nevernever (only manifesting in the mortal world at certain times or locations) or in Nevernever “pocket domains” of their own. “Concept” Spirits (or “Pure” Spirits) Were never mortal, can change and grow, have no sense of mortal morals (though Loa might), can feed on energy (or information), interested in mortals and mortal embodiment, can crossover to the mortal world as they wish. Category:World Information